Pneumatic inclined current separator



Sept. 6, 1956 E. K. KARLSSON .E1-A1. 3,270,879

PNEUMATIC INCLINED CURRENT SEPARATOR Filed Jan. 1o, 196s 4 Sheets-Sheet l .N @DNN Sept- 5; 1965 E. K. KARLSSON ETAL 3,276,879

PNEUMATIC INCLINED CURRENT SEPARATOR Filed Jan. l0, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 6, 1966 E. K. KARLssON ETAL 3,270,879

PNEUMATIC INCLINED CURRENT SEPARTOR Filed Jan. l0, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet .'15

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www di@ E. K. KARLssoN ETAL 3,270,879

PNEUMATIC INCLINED CURRENT SEPARATOR sept. e, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet L Filed Jan. 10,1963

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United States Patent O 3 270,879 PNEUMATIC INCLIND CURRENT SEPARATOR Eloi K. Karlsson, East Moline, Dwight B. Carlson, Rapids City, and Ernest M. Van Buskirk and Richard A. De Pauw, East Moline, Ill., assignors to International Harvester Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New .Ierse y Filed Jan. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 250,625

5 Claims. (Cl. 209-34) The present invention is directed to material cleaning apparatus and more particularly to an improved cleaning apparatus for separating light trash and dirt from shelled -corn as the shelled corn is fed towards the depository.

Recent advances have been made in the apparatus for and the technique of picking and shelling corn. A substantially improved picker Sheller is disclosed and claimed in the copending patent to Elof K. Karlsson entitled Crop Picking and Treating Apparatus, No. 3,126,688 of March 3l, 1964, led January 31, 1962, and assigned to the assignee of this invention. Among the salient improvements set forth in Patent No. 3,126,688 4is the complete elimination of any intermediate huskinlg or conveying step with the picked corn going directly to a shelling apparatus and thence into a depository such as a trailing wagon. A system of fans and suction units is also set forth and illustrated therein to provide an air stream which serves to assist in the removal of dust, dirt and light trash from the shelling unit itself. However, in order to deposit as clean a sample as is practical in the trailing wagon, it is desirable to provide some additional cleaning apparatus located in the conveying system between the shelling unit and the trailing wagon.

An additional cleaning apparatus such as this, is disclosed and claimed in the copending patent to Ernest M. Van Buskink and Richard A. DePauw entitled Crop Material Cleaning Apparatus, No. 3,119,768 of January 28, 1964, filed March 29, 1962, and assigned to the assignee of this invention. The present application discloses a crop cleaning unit that differs in several respects from that disclosed in the application referred to above. In the present application the relationship of the various ele-ments of the unit is such that only Ia relatively low layer of material must be built up in lthe trough to permit spilling over the lip. This, of course, will require less power in the material distributing .auger and less material will remain in the machine at the conclusion of operation. Also, a hin-ged door has been provided over the distributing trough which is opened by the rising material and functions to distribute the material over the entire length of the trough before material begins spilling over the lip. The relationship between the fan and the various distributing means enables a hopper unit having a lower center of gravity to be built. An adequate supply of air is available to the blowers by providing inlets in both the hopper sides and the central portion.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a cleaning apparatus for .crop material which is both efficient and unifonm in its operation.

Another object is to provide a cleaning apparatus for crop material that will require a minimum of power for its operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus for crop material that will meter the material evenly over the entire lateral width of a stream of cleaning air.

Still another object is to provide a crop material cleaning hopper unit having a low center of gravity.

Yet another object of the present invention is the prorvision of a cleaning apparatus for crop material having a blower unit therein having sufficient air inlet means and is 3,270,879' Patented Sept. 6, 1966 ice adapted to direct an even stream of cleaning air across the area of crop spilling.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the specification and `drawings where- 1n:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention as related to the disclosure in the above identified application;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the hopper unit having some portions cut away;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view of the hopper unit; FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the hopper unit; and FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the blower section of a hopper unit having portions of the hopper unit out away. .Referring now to the draw-ings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding .parts throughout lthe several views, there is shown in FIGURE 1 portions of a conventional tractor 20 including a steering wheel 21, a seat 22, rear drive wheels 24 and the hood portion 26. Cnt material such as ears of corn are picked up within picker unit 30, transferred to and shelled within sheller unit 40 and the shelled corn is transported rearwardly by a longitudinal feed auger 70. All is described in the above identified copending applications. The major components of the present invention are generally located within a hopper or chamber unit 71 which includes a first gathering auger 93 disposed transversely of the tractor and sheller at the rear thereof. The lirst gathering auger 93 is in communication with each ofthe longitudinal feed augers 70 that receive the shelled corn and transport it to the rear of the tractor andits associated components.

More specifically, the hopper or' chamber unit 71 has a generallyV rectangular shape including sides 72, a front wall 73, a top wall 74, a horizontal bottom wall 146 and an inclined rear wall 75. The fan unit 76 as can be best seen in FIGURE 4 is formed by a continuation of the front wall 73 in which forms a tube internally of the hopper unit across its entire width. The tube for-med by the continuation 77 is not closed, ibut rather has an open portion designated 78 extending across its entire width forming the air outlet for the fan unit 76. As can best be seen by referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, the fan unit is provided with an inner tube 79 having three sections. The first and third sections of inner tube 79 extend through the sides 72 of the hopper unit. The sides 72 of the hopper unit have apertures corresponding in size to tube 79 and the tube is secured to the sides 72 about the periphery of these apertures. The inner ends of the rst and third sections of the inner tube 79 are supported by radial brackets 80 connected to the front wall 73 and its continuation 77. The central section of the inner tube 79 is likewise supported by radial lbrackets 80 at a position such that there is a space between the rst and second section and the second and third section of said inner tube 79. The central section of the inner tube 79 has a duct 81 as best seen in FIGURE 2 extending therefrom through an aperture formed in the front wall 73 of the hopper unit thereby forming an air intake port. A central shaft 82 is `mounted internally of the inner turbe 79 by bearings 83. As can be best seen in FIGURE 5, said shaft 82 has an end portion that extends outwardly from the left hand side of the hopper unit. vA pair of air moving means or radial fans 84 are secured to said central shaft in the spaces provided by the three sections of said'inner tube 79. As indicated in FIGURE 5, fan lblades S4 draw air through the iirst and third sections of said inner tube and through the duct 81 connected to the central section of said inner tube. The fan blades 84 as seen in FIGURE 4, rotate in a counterclockwisedirection causing the air to move in-the direction indicated by the arrows in said figure.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 4, a sheet of material having a J-shaped cross section is provided internally of the hopper unit. The leg of said I-shaped sheet is substantially parallel to the front wall 73 and the end portion thereof is secured to the terminal edge of the continuation 77 of said front wall. The hook portion of said l-shaped sheet forms a trough 85 that extends across the entire lateral extend of the hopper unit. The leg portion of said J-shaped sheet in cooperation with the parallel front wall 73 forms a passageway through which the air blown by the fan unit 76 is directed. A horizontal bottom wall 146 extends rearwardly from front wall 73 below the hook portion of the J-shaped sheet forming therewith guide means for directing a stream of air beneath trough 85. A hinged lid 86 is provided for closing the trough formed by said J-shaped sheet the purpose of which will be discussed later.

A pair of longitudinal tu'bes 87 exten-d through the front wall 73 of the hopper unit and intersect the trough 85. Apertures are formed in both the trough 85 and the longitudinal tubes 87 at their intersection to provide a passageway designated 89. The left hand tube 87 is closed at its end internally of the hopper unit. The right hand tube 87 is also closed. However, as best seen in FIGURE 4, it extends slightly further `and houses a stud shaft 90 which extends to the right side 72 of the hopper unit. A bevel gear 91 is secured to stud shaft 90 internally of the extension of said longitudinal tube 87. Said longitudinal tubes 87 contain the longitudinal feed angers 70 that convey the material rearwardly from the sheller units 40. The core of the right hand longitudinal feed auger 70 has secured thereto a bevel gear 92 which meshes with the bevel gear 91 of stud shaft 90 and thus power is provided to the hopper unit through the longitudinal feed auger 70.

A first gathering auger 93 is journaled in the sides 72 of the hopper unit and is located within the trough 85'. The core of said first gathering auger has end portions that extend through both sides 72. The end portion extending through the right side 72 has secured thereto a sprocket 94 and the end portion extending through the left side 72 has a pulley 95 secured thereto. This pulley and sprocket are part of the drive mechanism and will be discussed further in relation to the drive system. The flightings of said rst gathering auger 93 are arranged such that material will lbe fed centrally from both ends of the auger. The llightings of said rst gathering auger 93 can be discontinued in its central section and be placed with lugs 96 as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The inclined rear wall 75 of the hopper unit terminates in a material collecting means or trough 97 which is connected to front wall 73 by the horizontal bottom wall 146 to form the closed surface of the hopper unit. The upper edge of said inclined rear wall 75 does not connect to top wall 74, but rather terminates short of the top wall forming a trash disposal opening 98. A second gathering auger 99 is journaled in the sides 72 of the hopper unit having lightings adapted to convey the material t the center of said second gathering auger. Said second gathering auger has an end portion extending through the right side 72 and has secured thereto a sprocket 147.

A deflector plate or blastboard 130 extends a-cross the bottom of the hopper unit in parallel relationship to the inclined rear wall 75 spaced slightly above said rear wall. Apertures 131 are formed in the dellector plate or blastboard of such a size to permit material such as shelled corn to pass through.

An elevator designated 135 is secured to the hopper unit along the central portion of said inclined rear wall 75. Said elevator extends into trough 97 and terminates above and to the rear of the hopper unit. AS illustrated in FIGURE 4, the elevator is of the auger type, it has an end portion extending through the wall of said trough 97 having a 'bevel gear 136 secured thereto that meshes with a second be. "gear 137 secured to a shaft 138 having a sprocket 139 secured to its other end which extends outwardly from the right hand side of the hopper unit.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the drive arrangement for the hopper unit will be discussed. The sprocket 14) is secured to the stub shaft outwardly of the right hand side 72 of the hopper unit. An idler sprocket 141 is journaled on the side walls 72 externally of the hopper unit and sprockets 141, 94, 139,147, and 140 all lie in a common plane and are connected by a continuous chain 144. A pulley 142 is secured to the end portion of central shaft 82 that extends outwardly from the unit through the left hand side 72. An idler pulley 143 is journalled in the left hand side wall 72 of the hopper unit in a common plane with pulleys and 142. A continuous belt 145 connects pulleys 95, 142, and 143. The hopper unit receives its drive through the right hand longitudinal auger 70 which provides rotary motion to sprocket 140 through bevel gears 91 and 92. The rotary motion of sprocket 140 is transmitted to `sprockets 94, 139, and 147 through the continuous chain 144.1 Sprocket 139 provides rotary motion for the elevator 135 through shafts 138 and bevel gears 136 and 137. Sprocket 147 is connected to the second gathering auger and thereby provides rotary motion to said auger. Sprocket 94 is secured to one end of the rst gathering auger 93. The rotary motion is thereby provided to said auger and also to the pulley 95 secured to the 4other end of said auger. The central shaft 82 of the fan unit has secured thereto pulley 142 and rotary motion is transmitted from pulley 95 to the fan unit through the continuous belt 145. i

Operation of the invention As the tractor 2t) with the picking and shelling units mounted thereon is directed through a field of standing corn, for example, the ears are picked by picking units 30 and shelled in sheller units 4t), and the shelled corn is then transported rearwardly through longitudinal tubes 87 and then into trough 85 through passageways 89 formed at the intersection. As the material is fed rearwardly by the longitudinal angers 70 it passes upwardly through the passageways 89 into the trough 85 where it is spread evenly throughout the trough -by the first gathering auger 93. When the trough 85 has been filled the material will open the hinged lid 86 and permit the material to spill over the lip of the trough. The downward force of the hinged lid 86 is such that if material were to collect at one point along the trough 85 the upward force of the material would not be sufficient to lift the lid but would rather cause the material to spread evenly along the trough. Thus, it is seen that the material will not spill over the edge of the trough until the trough has been evenly filled and when the material does `begin to spill over the edge, it will spill in an even manner across the length of the trough.

The fan unit will draw air inwardly through the apertures formed by the juncture of the inner tube 79 with the sides 72 of the hopper and also through the duct 81 communicating with the central section of said inner tube 79. This air will follow the passageway formed by the front wall 73 and the J-shaped sheet forming trough 85. The air will thus be directed in a path across the lip of said trough 85 and towards said deector plate or blastboard 130. The material spilling over the edge of trough S5 will fall through this air stream, some of the grain falling directly into trough 97 while other grain and trash will be carried by the stream of air against the deflector plate 130. The grain thrown against the deilector plate will pass through 4the apertures 131 formed in the deilector plate and slide down the inclined rear wall 75 of the hopper unit and into the trough 97. The trash will continue up the deflector plate 130 and will exit the hopper unit through the trash disposal opening 98. The grain falling into the trough 97 will be conveyed centrally of the trough 97 by the second gathering auger 99 where it will encounter the elevator 135 which will I' convey the cleaned material upwardly and rearwardly to a trailing wagon or the like.

Thus it is seen that a cleaning unit for shelled corn has been provided including a fan unit which supplies an even stream of air across the path of uniformly spilling grain.

What is claimed is:

1. A shelled corn cleaning unit comprising a hopper unit including a front vertical wall having yan upper continuation rolled upon itself forming a cylinder internally of said hopper and extending yacross its upper front edge, said continuation terminating rearwardly of said front vertical wall such that the cylinder is not closed, a fan unit within lsaid cylinder adapted to force air to the opening lbetween the front vertical wall and the terminal edge of said continuation, a J-shaped sheet including a leg portion and a hook portion secured to the terminal edge of said continuation having said leg portion substantially parallel to said front vertical wall and said hook portion opening towards the rear of said hopper and terminating along a lip located relatively close to the bottom of said hook portion such that a shallow material trough is formed, a horizontal bottom wall connected to and eX- tending rearwardly from said front vertical wall and forming in cooperation with said hook portion of the J-shaped sheet guide means for directing a stream of -air beneath said trough, means for supply shelled corn to said trough, and means within said trough for spreading said shelled corn evenly across said trough such that it will 'spill evenly over its lip and fall through the stream of air.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein a lid is hinged to the leg portion of said l-shaped sheet forming a cover for said trough that can be opened by the pressure of the rising corn in the trough when the corn has been spread evenly across the trough and pressure is being exerted by the rising corn across the entire width of said lid.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said hopper unit further includes yan inclined rear wall, a blastboard having apertures formed therein overlying said inclined rear wall, a trash disposal opening above said inclined rear wall and said blastboard, material collecting means connecting said horizontal bottom wall to said inclined rear wall, and said guide means being located with respect to sai-d blastboard such that the air stream is directed against the lower portion of said blastboard at an acute angle.

4. The invention -as forth in claim 1 wherein said hopper unit further includes an inclined rear wall, a blast board having apertures formed therein overlying said inclined rear wall, a trash disposal opening above said inclined rear wall and said blastboard, material collecting means connecting said horizontal bottom wall to said inclined rear wall, and said guide means being located with respect to said blastboard such that the air stre-am is directed against the lower portion of said blastboard at an acute angle.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fan unit comprises a tube smaller in diameter than said cylinder, said tube being divided into three sections, each mounted concentrically along said cylinder, the Outer sections of said tube extending through the sides of said hopper unit forming air inlet passages, a duct secured to the central section of said tube 4and opening through the hopper wall to provide another air inlet passage, an air moving means mounted within said cylinder between the central and outer sections of said tube for drawing air in through said -air inlet passages and forcing it between said guide means and beneath said trough.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 348,324 8/18-86 Gray 209-137 358,834 3/1887 Carter 209-27 1,511,789 10/1924 Vilm 209-137 1,563,826 12/ 1925 Bernert 209-147 X 3,005,547 10/ 1961 Freeman 209-32 3,043,427 7/196'2 Eisert 209-26 3,119,768 1/1964 Van Buskirk et al. 209-133 FOREIGN PATENTS 366,574 1/ 1923 Germany.

FMNK W. LUTTER, Primary Examiner. 

